THE MOTHER of a young woman stabbed to death by a stranger in an unprovoked attack has called for mandatory custodial sentences to tackle knife crime.
Grace O'Malley-Kumar and her friend Barnaby Webber, both 19, died along with 65-year-old Ian Coates following unprovoked knife attacks in Nottingham in June 2023.
Yesterday, 32-year-old Valdo Calocane pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the University of Nottingham students and school worker Mr Coates on the basis of diminished responsibility.
The pleas were accepted, with a hearing currently underway to determine Calocane's sentence.
Ms O'Malley-Kumar, her friend Barnaby Webber (pictured left) and school worker Ian Coates died in the attacks (Images: via Nottinghamshire Police)Following yesterday's pleas, Ms O'Malley's mother told the BBC that she wants to see mandatory custodial sentences for those caught with knives in public.
"I personally believe that there should be a mandatory prison term for carrying a knife in public," said Irish woman Dr O'Malley.
Her husband, who is also a doctor and previously treated knife crime victims, echoed those calls.
Dr Sanjoy Kumar described knife crime in England as 'an epidemic' and urged Parliament to urgently examine knife crime legislation.
Ms O'Malley Kumar pictured with her parents and younger brother James (Image: via Nottnghamshire Police)According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), there are minimum custodial sentences for possessing certain types of firearms.
However, the CPS says minimum custodial terms for carrying a knife only apply to 'second strike' offences if an offender has previously been convicted of a previous relevant offence.
At Nottingham Crown Court yesterday, Calocane also had three pleas of attempted murder accepted by the court.
after hitting and injuring three pedestrians with a van he stole from Mr Coates.
During today's sentencing hearing, the court heard that Calocane was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attacks.
Sky News reports that three psychiatrists who discussed Calocane's mental state at court on Wednesday suggested a hospital order would be the best sentence.
